Russian MPs seek tougher criminal punishment for hackers

A ruling party MP suggests punishing computer hackers with up to four years in prison if the violators were acting for material gain or if their activities caused large-scale damages.

The mass media reported about the move just days after unknown
people hacked the Twitter account of the state news agency
RIA-Novosti and used it to spread news about the death of Mikhail
Gorbachev – the first and only president of the USSR and the
mastermind of Perestroika.

The false news was corrected almost immediately, but still a few
media outlets reproduced it on their websites. The former Soviet
leader suggested in press comments that the people who posted the
false report were either trying to promote their own websites or
were working on orders from “some authorities.”

On Monday RIA Novosti reported that it had established the
hacker’s personality, but did not disclose his or her name.

Also on Monday the mass circulation daily Izvestia reported about
the suggested toughening of the anti-hacker laws.

The current edition of the Russian Criminal code orders
disproportionate punishment for computer breaching made out of
hooliganism and for the same felony with material motives, claims
State Duma MP Ilya Kostunov (United Russia).

He explained that illegal blocking, copying or changing of
computer data can carries up to two years in prison, while the
same offence committed for material gain or causing grave
consequences is only punishable by six months in jail or prison
camp.

The law defines large-scale damage as the one exceeding 1 million
rubles, or about $30,000.

Kostunov suggests an amendment that increases the maximum
punishment for hackers who cause large-scale harm or work for
money to four years in prison or four years of correctional
labor.

Izvestia quoted Kostunov as saying that his initiative has
already received approval from the Supreme Court and he is now
waiting for a government review of the document.

Other MPs supported the suggestion and said that the punishment
for computer crime must be brought into line with real life
felonies.

“The sphere is developing rapidly and the seriousness of the
crimes is growing with it. It is logical that the punishment is
increased in accordance with the level of the crime,” said
the head of the Duma Committee for Information Policy,
independent MP Aleksey Mitrofanov.

MP Robert Shlegel (United Russia) noted that the responsibility
should be increased not only for those who illegally breach
computer networks but also for those who allow such incidents out
of criminal negligence.